An electro-hydraulic actuator comprises a motor which drives a plunger of a master cylinder of a hydraulic circuit. Such devices may be used in vehicle applications such as brake systems and clutch systems. The motor moves an actuation piston linearly into a hydraulic cylinder which increases the pressure in the whole oil circuit. During actuation, the pressure is relatively low and therefore the motor doesn't need much current (power) to provide the torque needed to move the piston. At the end of the actuation, when a physical obstacle is reached (end of stroke) the pressure increases exponentially and reaches high values. This high pressure generates a high axial counterforce on the actuation piston so a strong holding torque is needed requiring higher power to be supplied to the motor. If this holding torque needs to be provided by the motor, a high current level is required to be maintained, resulting in high energy consumption and high thermal dissipation which may lead eventually to overheating.
Presently, the energy consumed by automotive components is very important as it directly impacts the fuel consumption of a fuel powered vehicle or the battery charge life of a battery powered vehicle.